You could write a short book on the finer points of screaming in hardcore. The fundamentals of the act can be replicated with minimal effort -- just open your mouth and push -- but very few bands ever truly grasp its subtler possibilities. Her Candane is one of the bands that take it further. Seemingly without the slightest effort, they've mastered the art. They know how to sound properly agonized while remaining coherent enough to make a good hook. They're tight enough screamers to form a viable component of the rhythm section, like a bass line that happens to want your blood. They even layer their screams like simple chord progressions, not to mention mixing in actual vocal melodies. In short: these guys are really, really good at screaming.

Unfortunately, that's all that truly distinguishes them, at least at the moment. Their music is straightforward but technically airtight hardcore...and that's about it. This is especially disappointing in that the powerful vocals drive relatively unusual song structures, but the finished product panders to broader, simpler tastes.

At its best, ...Could Be Nothing to Some suggests the possibility of a future in which Her Candane are as flexible as they are muscular. When they loosen up a little, as in "Enough Already", they aren't as immediately compelling, but they make promising movements in this ideal direction.

Whether the band actually heads that way or not, they certainly know how to attract and hold our attention. They open their mouths. And push.